MODELLING OF ADDRESSER’S AND ADDRESSEE’S STRATEGIC BEHAVIOUR IN BRITISH POLITICAL DISCOURSE (BASED ON LIZ TRUSS’S RESIGNATION SPEECH)

Abstract

A distinctive feature of political discourse is its focus on the target addressee who models the discourse of a politician by filling it with a set of strategies and tactics. The study is aimed at identifying the dependence of the strategic content of a political leader discourse on tactics and strategies expected in the speech of an addressee. The research method is discursive analysis based on the consideration of means that form techniques and tactics of discourse which in their turn form a set of strategies. Discursive analysis of the empirical material was carried out taking into consideration strategic behavior of both addresser and addressee of political speeches. The research is based on the resignation speech by the British Prime Minister from 06.09.2022 to 25.10.2022 Mary Elizabeth (Liz) Truss. As a result of the study of empirical material, it is noted that the main strategy in the speech of the addressee is the strategy of opponent’s discrediting, namely the political leader, implemented largely through the tactic of criticism and accusation. Foreseeing such respondent strategic behavior of the audience led to modelling of Liz Truss’s resignation speech strategic component which includes predominantly positive self-positioning / party positioning and self-defence strategies. It is also noted that Liz Truss’s positive self-positioning is also carried out by means of the tactic of criticism and accusation of the strategy of opponent’s discrediting. The study enables the researcher to conclude that discursive means in the discourse of a political leader are addressee-driven as well as the leader’s strategic behavior is directly dependent on the discourse of the audience.